Return to Innocence
by DesertDweller
Summary: Well... I finally did it... A fiction with a happy ending that is actually cheerfull... I must have been insane....Warning Shounen Ai!!


Return to Innocence  
  
By: Desertdweller…  
  
  
  
Authors note:: An actually happy fan fiction. One of my… Well my first one actually… Be gentle… I am not usually in a happy hyper mood. I guess you could call it my manic phase. ::begins to wonder if she is bipolar:: This was written using the song "Return to Innocence" by Enigma… I loved it and when I heard it again, this story just popped into my conscious mind.  
  
1  
  
Steely gray clouds barreled across the sky, alternately eclipsing and releasing the arrows of liquid sunshine that tried to lance through. This fickle light pierced the lush forest below, hitting alternate spots with fury. The balmy breath of spring gently danced with the trees, causing them to shiver as if in anticipation.  
  
One such arrow of light glanced off of a sitting individual. The flattering light turned the dark emerald skin of the man into a rich creamy jade. He was reclining in such a way that half of his lithe frame was encased in glittering light, and the other into mysterious shadow. A waterfall roared merrily behind him. The sparkling droplets surrounded him, seeming like so many diamonds on green velvet.  
  
High above the scene a rapidly growing dot appeared. The dot increased in size until the definite form of a person could be seen. He stopped short of the waterfall and hovered in mid-air as if with indecision. Then as if making a resolution, he began to fall softly towards the forest below, becoming one with the arboreal landscape.  
  
The forest floor was springy beneath his feet. The flier threw his head back and drew in a breath of air deeply, inhaling the serene forest scent.  
  
Silky locks whispered as he slowly faced forward again. Warm onyx eyes looked to the west, where his destination lay.  
  
Silent as a whisper of wind, he stalked towards the waterfall. The other person still sat before it on a slate gray boulder. The majestic cape swayed sensuously to and fro, as if to music yet unheard.  
  
The presence of the intruder alerted the sitting individual. Jade lids rose leisurely to pierce the trespasser with keen garnet swords. His entire body tensed momentarily but then relaxed almost as quickly as the intruder was recognized. A barely perceptible smile graced his face. Warmth flooded the garnets, flaring them into fiery embers.  
  
2 "Love - Devotion  
  
Feeling – Emotion"  
  
  
  
"Gohan."  
  
The other smiled; perfect white teeth glinted in the fickle sunlight. The pale face was framed but a wreath of silky ebony-cobalt hair. The young saiya-jins lean frame lowered to sit down beside the slightly taller namekusei-jin warrior.  
  
"Konnichiwa Piccolo-san… I have missed you."  
  
Piccolo huffed good-naturedly and uncrossed his arms to rest them on his knees, the violet gi rustling as he scraped his taloned hands gently across it as he got comfortable.  
  
" You have a life Gohan… I don't expect you to hang around here forever. You have so much to live for. So much to do… Don't turn into me kid… I… I… made a lot of mistakes in my life. Being alone was one of them," the emerald prince admitted.  
  
The other warrior merely looked at him with a speculative expression on his face. Piccolo turned away after admitting that and in doing so missed the flash of realization that briefly flitted through the demi-saiya-jin's ebony depths. A smile danced lightly on his lips as he sat. He leaned forward and thought for minute. He was concentrating so hard that he almost missed the next question.  
  
"So… How are you and … Videl doing?"  
  
Gohan noticed the slight hesitation and gave his teacher another searching look. The smile grew infinitesimally wider before disappearing as the older warrior craned his head to meet the young man in the eyes.  
  
He opened his mouth and gave a simple answer.  
  
"We broke up…"  
  
"Don't be afraid to be weak  
  
Don't be too proud to be strong"  
  
  
  
The garnet gems widened slightly as this news sunk in. Piccolo was at a loss. He had thought Videl and Gohan were going to get married. They had been together for so long. Every one just assumed it would stay that way and never change. Piccolo had been trying to adjust to a life without his beloved student and had been finding near impossible to fathom. He narrowed his eyes to half mast.  
  
Now once again his world was spinning around him at a dizzying pace and out of control.  
  
Licking his lips and clearing his throat he prepared to speak.  
  
"What…what happened? Why did you break up?" He asked with curiosity in his voice, but not wanting to pry.  
  
Gohan shrugged.  
  
" Irreconcilable differences. I didn't love her and she just wanted to date the strongest boy in school. She really got mad when I told her I was in love with someone else."  
  
Piccolo's ears perked up at this latest development… Gohan was in love with another person? Interesting. He itched to ask the most obvious question but used his discipline to refrain from prying.  
  
Gohan continued.  
  
"The coup de grace was when I told her I was in love with a man…"  
  
Piccolo's eyes widened slightly, but he said nothing. He knew that saiya- jin mating practices were different, and frankly as long as Gohan was happy… he didn't care… He would still be here if Gohan ever needed him.  
  
Gohan glanced at his teacher, searching for a reaction. He prayed it wasn't disgust or horror. He watched as the emerald warrior glanced at the ground and frowned slightly. Then he glanced up into the forest. His shoulders rose and fell in a shrug. Piccolo turned his head to smile at the waiting fighter.  
  
"What ever makes you happy Gohan… I don't mind. You are my friend… I don't discriminate."  
  
Gohan smiled and shifted closer to his teacher. The older man merely smiled and resumed gazing up and the shifting sky above them.  
  
"Just look into your heart my friend"  
  
The silence stretched on for a few minutes, as the two warriors shared a sense of camaradiere.  
  
Suddenly Gohan broke the silence.  
  
  
  
"Piccolo?"  
  
  
  
"Hn?" came back the response...  
  
Gohan swallowed, trying to get past the lump that had suddenly appeared in his throat.  
  
  
  
"Did you ever...ah.. think of taking a ...um... mate..?"  
  
  
  
Piccolo snapped his head to lock eyes with a very earnest and nervous Gohan. His face held a tinge of surprise at the question. His body tensed up. The ivory cape fluttered nervously in response to the suddne motion.  
  
Then suddenly his cheeks darkened and he turned his head away, staring at the laughing stream below. He sighed and parted jade lips to speak.  
  
"Yes... and no... I often thought about it in the most lonliest of times. But I knew it was nothing more than a foolish fancy. I was born alone on this planet. I will die alone. That is the natural way of things, Gohan. I simply must accept it. To do otherwise would be foolish."  
  
Gohan didn't reply to this confession at first. Instead he merely gazed at his teacher harder, his eyes searching for the truth.  
  
  
  
"Just look into your heart my friend  
  
That will be the return to yourself  
  
The return to innocence"  
  
  
  
" You are wrong, Piccolo-san," his velvety voice sighed as he replied to his teacher.  
  
  
  
Piccolo turned his head back towards his student. His eyes narrowed and for an instant he looked like his former demonic self. But Gohan saw through it, he knew it was merely Piccolo's defense mechanism, something to save face and save his dignity. He kept his gaze level and open. Within a few minutes,  
  
Gohan's resolve outlasted his sensei's. He smiled inwardly, he knew that he had his teacher wrapped around his little finger.  
  
Piccolo's features softened and he sighed.  
  
"Maybe not for you, Gohan. But for me... Yes. Look at me... Can you think of one person... just one, who would even consider me as a possible mate? I can't." he finished roughly, the emotions that normally were in tight control were beginning to slip through his mask of indifference.  
  
He uncrossed his legs and slid gracefully off the warm boulder and onto the bank beside the bubbling creek. He began to walk away.  
  
Suddenly an answer reached his elfin ears.  
  
  
  
'If you want, then start to laugh  
  
If you must, then start to cry'  
  
  
  
"I would be willing..."  
  
...  
  
Piccolo stopped suddenly, his whole frame tottered slightly forward as the news hit his mind like a sledgehammer on a concrete block. He turned back towards the young man. Gohan had already leapt off the rock and was now facing him, an earnest look on his handsome face.  
  
Seeing that Piccolo was at least looking at him, Gohan hurriedly continued, lest Piccolo change his mind and leave.  
  
"I know that you think this is some time of impulsive thing... But I know it isn't. I did like Videl... But she didn't complete me somehow. I was always on edge with her, like I was walking on egg shells and one wrong step would have everything come crashing down around me. But not when I was with you. I feel this incredible sense of serenity and ease. I know that sounds stupid and weak... But it is true. When I am with you, I can be myself. I don't have to put up this front of being like everyone else. When I am here I can be... me. And I that you will accept me no matter what I do. "  
  
  
  
'Be yourself don't hide  
  
Just believe in destiny.'  
  
  
  
Piccolo didn't reply; he merely continued to stand there, gazing a the frustrated young demi saiya-jin. His keen gaze was fixed on the man before him, searching. He was searching to see if the boy meant what he said, to see if he could adjust to this.  
  
  
  
Suddenly the garnet eyes, so full of suspision, turned liquid again. He strode back to the young man...  
  
  
  
"Don't care what people say  
  
Just follow your own way."  
  
Gohan smiled as his teacher strode back towards him. The tall warrior stopped just short of touching the young fighter. He held back and gazed at the young man severely.  
  
To trust or not to trust.  
  
Gohan watched anxiously to see what he would do.  
  
Piccolo, meanwhile, was trying to sort out his jumbled feelings. The emotions he had for his friend were once cut and dried and he knew where he stood.  
  
Now...  
  
He quirked his head to the side, determining to see if this new idea was worth chasing. His gaze continued to bore through the man's soul.  
  
  
  
'Don't give up and use the chance  
  
To return to innocence'  
  
  
  
Gohan held his breath as Piccolo closed the distance between them. The taller fighter's shadow flickered as the sunlight shone in and out of focus. Piccolo gazed down at the apprehensive fighter before him. He  
  
parted his mouth to speak.  
  
Gohan marveled at how captivating his sensei's voice became when it was so near a whisper... It was like the wind sighing through a waving forest of bamboo. The timbre rose and fell with careful moderating slowness that flowed up and down his spine with minute tremors.  
  
"If we choose this course, little warrior. Then I will not be able to turn back. Is this the path you choose, Gohan?"  
  
Piccolo thought he heard a reply but it could have been nothing more than the sigh of the wind through the trees. Somehow they had managed to be in each others' arms and their faces were only a hair's breadth apart. They connected intimately.  
  
"Hai..."  
  
Liquid sunshine broke through the cold steely clouds and illuminated the forest below. It briefly lit upon the embracing couple and moved on, giving them privacy. The two took no notice of their surroundings, too absorbed in the flow of love around them.  
  
  
  
Love flows on.  
  
  
  
Love endures.  
  
  
  
Love is forever.  
  
  
  
"The return to innocence...."  
  
  
  
  
  
Owari 


End file.
